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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Some ladies in the church... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
Some ladies in the church undertook the project of making little baptism cushions, three inches squa
I serve in a great... -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
I serve in a great church.
Executives who travel a lot... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Executives who travel a lot and want to cheat on a spouse, but can't find a convention to attend so
The text of the old... -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
The text of the old hymn, "Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken," by Henry F.
When I was a boy... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
When I was a boy on the farm, we didn't have many books or magazines to read.
After 105 days as captive... -- John 12:20-33 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
After 105 days as captive of the FARC (Armed Revolutionary Forces of Columbia) in the Andes Mountain
They were making one of... -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - B -- 2003
They were making one of those historical movies, dramatizing the Roman era when Christians were thro
In the unforgettable musical, Man... -- John 18:1-19:42 -- Good Friday - B -- 2003
In the unforgettable musical, Man of La Mancha, we meet Aldonza, a waitress by day and a harlot by n
Here is a good place... -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2003
Here is a good place to observe that the "Maundy" in the title of this day is from the Middle Englis
In Fergus, Ontario, you can... -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2003
In Fergus, Ontario, you can visit the St.
It doesn't get any better... -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2003
"It doesn't get any better than this!" Remember that ad on television a few years ago?
We know we ought to... -- 1 John 4:7-21 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
We know we ought to love one another, and this includes loving our neighbor as ourself.
Our faith is the victory... -- 1 John 5:1-6 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
Those with privilege have a... -- 1 John 3:16-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Those with privilege have a responsibility to those without it.
Plenty ... abundance ... that our fruits... -- 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2003
Plenty ... abundance ... "that our fruits may abound!"
The human eye is like... -- 1 John 3:1-7 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
The human eye is like a built-in camera.
Paul validates his ministry by... -- 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2003
Paul validates his ministry by what he has endured for the sake of the Gospel.
Two men were exploring an... -- Acts 2:1-21 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2003
Two men were exploring an old mine when they became lost.
They were walking out of... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2003
They were walking out of the courtroom after the adoption papers were signed.
A Jews for Jesus advertisement... -- John 1:43-51 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2003
A "Jews for Jesus" advertisement in The New Yorker magazine showed a full page picture of Marion Par
One of the unfortunate wounds... -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2003
One of the unfortunate wounds America inflicted upon itself was the internment of its own citizens o
When a cup is full... -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- 2003
When a cup is full and spills over the rim, then the goodness of its content can be slurped up from
The noted French traveler, General... -- Mark 1:4-11 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2003
The noted French traveler, General Chastellux, wrote the following words about Thomas Jefferson 20 y
A forgiveness laboratory at Hope... -- Mark 2:1-12 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - B -- 2003
A forgiveness laboratory at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, monitors the four stages identified i
Not all cries for help... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2003
Not all cries for help are heeded.

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
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29 – Worship Resources
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For June 22, 2025:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,  for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (vv. 25-28)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
David Kalas
We’re not far from the 4th of July. And while for so many Americans, it seems that the holiday has become more about long weekends, cookouts, and fireworks shows, the theme of freedom is still there at least in the background. We might take advantage of that, therefore, and give some thought to the theme of freedom as it is revealed in our assigned texts for this week.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

The madman cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" In our worship today let us explore what Jesus has to do with us and invite him to heal our brokenness.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we often find ourselves thinking, saying and doing things that we quickly regret.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Constance Berg
When Jill was five, she began to have headaches. The headaches were so severe she would throw up. Sometimes she would pass out. They usually came once a month. Jill could be playing, resting, or watching television when the headaches would come. Her only warning was a sudden pain in her head, then a blinding light would appear, and she would be rocked with pain. In her teenage years, they became debilitating, causing Jill to be in bed for three days at a time.
Stan Purdum
I'm not sure when the term "burn out" ceased being only a description of what happened to a campfire when you ran out of firewood to a term describing the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, usually coming immediately after an extended period of overwork, but the expression seems to fit that later situation, doesn't it? Exhaustion, deep weariness, all used up, nothing more to give, wiped out, burned out -- call it what we will, its symptoms are all too familiar to many of us.
April Yamasaki
In the classic movie, Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews plays a no-nonsense, yet delightful, nanny to two young children. As a nanny to a wealthy family, she is part teacher, part parent, and part disciplinarian. She gets the children up in the morning, puts them to bed at night, supervises their many adventures, and guides them in many ways. While they are in her care, she is responsible for their overall safety and well-being.

Julia Ross Strope
Zoos are no longer in people's good graces.
Religion faces the same problem.
Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.
-- Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Call To Worship
Leader: I'm so glad you're here! There are seats for everyone; there's slight air movement; the windows engender tranquility and imagination and words will stimulate fresh thoughts.

People: It's good to be here, in sanctuary. We're glad for opportunities to gather and to express our gratitude to God and our appreciation for one another.

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